There are many portable devices, such as blow dryers and curling irons that utilize heat in their operation. Portable devices that utilize heat to evaporate or volatilize substances are also well known in the prior art. Such devices are commonly used to dispense insect control active ingredients or air treatment materials, such as air fresheners. Users employ these devices in a variety of places, such as in their backyards, near swimming pools or patios and the like. They also are commonly toted as part of hunting or camping gear to be used in the wilderness—usually far from a source of electricity.
However, prior art devices are limited by the fact that a single source is utilized to generate heat—either fuel powered combustion or electrical power. Thus an electrically powered plug-in device would not be useful for camping/hunting—beyond the range of accessible electric current, and a fuel powered device would not be necessary when the device is used around the home with convenient access to electrical current. Thus, each of the prior art systems is adapted for a limited use.
The current invention solves this problem by providing a single device for volatilizing substances that is alternatively powered by either a hydrocarbon fuel source or by electrical current.
It is important for units to be lightweight and easily portable, and the prior art has focused on developing streamlined systems. Combining two heat sources and their corresponding two fuel sources would increase the size, weight and ultimately the utility of the unit. Moreover, if the two sources were utilized simultaneously it could result in temperature control problems and would possibly damage the unit. Thus, there is a need for a single, lightweight, portable device that produces heat and which can be alternatively powered by either electric current or by fuel combustion according to user's preferences and/or needs.